Telephone signaling apparatus



H. G. PISKE.

v Telephone-Signaling Apparatus. 2 NO. 226,229. Patented April 6,1880.

F762 1716. Main Office.

o z 6. 3% I a 7 'J V' v7 2 II N.PE|'F.RS, PHOTOJJTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. I10.

Jan

HENRY G. FISKE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

TELEPHONE SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,229, dated April 6, 1880.

Application filed February 7, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY G. FIsKE, of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signals, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

The invention relates to electric signaling apparatus by the aid of which any one station out of several on the same circuit maybe signaled without calling attention to any of the others.

The object of my invention is to provide a system of electric signaling apparatus that shall be inexpensive and simple and obviate the necessity of signaling other stations on the same circuit, and is especially adapted to telephone-circuits, where an almost constant jingling of a bell calls all the stations at once when only one is really desired; and, also, to practically deaden all sound at the several stations except the one called; also, to provide a means of getting the break-piece (which transmits the signals over the line or circuit) under way before sending out. the electric impulses or signals, that they may be uniform, or at least avoid anyseparate impulses of long duration.

First. The nature of the invention consists in so arranging and combining a set of electro-magnetic ratchet-switches and call-bells at one or more stations with a key or break piece and an indicating magnetic ratchet and a call-bell at a main office that one or more or the bells may be thrown into the circuit and retained there and rung as long as desired from the main office without ringing all of the other bells on the circuit, the ratchets allbeing adjusted to operate only in response to comparatively slow electrical impulses, while the bells are adjusted to respond to rapid impulses and to be operated on the same circuit without affecting the ratchets.

Second. It consists in providing a set of magnetic ratchets adapted to operate by the aid of comparatively slow electrical impulses, in combination with a set of magnetic vibrating bells adapted to operate in response to more rapid impulses, that the electricity may pass through the ratchet-magnets without operating the ratchets.

Third. It consists in arranging the bell at the main office so that it will respond to every impulse and the ratchet to only slow inipulses.

Fourth. It consists in combining with amagnetic ratchet at the receivingstation a vibrating bell adapted to operate in response to only several rapidly-succeedin g electrical impulses.

Fifth. It also consists in combining with a magnetic ratchet at the receiving-station a magnetic bell or call and an electric switch for switching the bell into the main circuit, the ratchet being adjusted to operate only in response to slow impulses and the bell to rapid impulses.

Sixth. It also consists in so arranging a switch at the main office that a vibrating break-piece used to transmit rapid impulses through the call-bells may be set in operation before thrown into the main circuit to avoid sending slow impulses over the main line while starting said vibrator.

, Seventh. It also consists in providing means to obviate burning the platinum points when the full amount of electricity is thrown into the vibrator through the startingcircuit.

Eighth. It also consists in providing a means of quickly setting a second indicator to correspond with the pointer of the dial without being obliged to break the electric circuit.

Ninth. It also consists in providing a means of operating the vibrating break-piece independent of the main battery.

Tenth. It consists in providing a means of switching the vibrating bell at the receivingstation out and into the main circuit independentof the ratchet operation.

Eleventh. It consists in providing the ratchet-wheel with a means of deadening the sound of the clicking-ratchet.

Twelfth. It further consists in packing the bearings of the ratchet-wheel shaft with a sound-deadening substance.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus intended to be used at the main oiiice or point from which the signals are to be transmitted, and shows the several electric connections at that office. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatusof a station to which the signals are to be transmitted, and is called Station N o. 2. This view also shows the necessary connections of the apparatus of that station. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the bearings of the ratchetwheel shaft, showing the manner of deadening the transmission of sound caused by the clicking of the ratchet on said wheel from the said shaft to the frame or case of the instrument. Fig. 4 shows the manner of packing the ratchet-wheel with a similar sound-deadening substance to that in Fig. 3, fora similar purpose. Fig. 5 shows the manner of packing the hunters or stops, for a similar sound-deadening purpose, between the ratchet-bar and said stops, one of which is, of course, placed 011 each side of the bar to regulate the throw of the ratchet. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the hand-indicating circuit-breaker passing in the form of a tube through the dial, the tight washer, the trip or toothed wheel, and the springwasher, and shows the trip wheel pressed against the washer, which is tight on the tube of the indicator and held there by the friction of the spring-washer; and Fig. 7 shows the manner of connecting the vibrator to one of several lines.

The electro-magnets of A and A are each provided with a pawl or finger, a ratchet-wheel mounted on a shaft, and 'a spring with which to draw the pawl back to its place of rest when the electricity ceases to flow through the coils of the magnet. These I term, as a whole, electromagnetic ratchets, but do not wish to confine myself to this exact arrangement.

The wheel of A is provided with a simple pointer, B, and that of A with a wheel having a spur or projection for raising the contact-lever 0. This lever is provided at its outer end with platinum, as is also the lever D at this point of contact, and the lever O is held against D by a light spiral spring. The armature-levers are provided with a pair of adjustable stops or hunters, E E, one on each side of each lever, to regulate the throw of said lever, and each of these hunters, especially those of the receivin g-stations, present flexible surfaces toward the lever as it strikes on either side, making only a dull sound when operating.

F is an electric vibrating bell, so adjusted that a single motion of the armature will not cause the hammer to strike the hell, but requires two or three rapid impulses in succession approximately at a speed to which the hammer of the bell is adjusted to vibrate to give the hammer sufficient momentum to reach said bell. This adjustment is so made to avoid striking the bell when a station beyond is being called, and the ratchet and trip raise the lever O in passing this station.

The key G is to make a call at the main office, and by breaking and making the circuit at this point the bell H at the main ofiice is operated, striking at both opening and closing the circuit, it having two hammers. This bell, unlike the bell F, is adjusted so that it will strike at every impulse, whether slow or rapid.

The keyI short-circuits the entire line, which virtually amounts to opening and closing it, without the danger of making imperfect connections when out of i use. Its office is to operate the ratchets on the main line, and may be used for signaling a station also, provided the short circuit of the lever O is thrown open.

The key J is of a similar short-oircuiting nature, and is operated by the hand turning the indicator K, which has secured by friction beneath the dial L a toothed wheel, M, which wheel turns forward with the indicator K and works the spur on key J up and down and closes and opens the circuit through the wire N, thus short-cireuitin g the main line precisely the same as the key I, except that it is operated by turning the indicator, and will close and open the short circuit once for each space which the indicator is turned on the dial L. The upper portion of this dial is shown in drawings, Fig. 1, as broken off for the purpose of showing parts beneath, and the remainder is divided off into spaces, showing a number for each space representing-a station on the main line. These numbers may, of course, be replaced by a persons name for each, or any other desirable means of designating them.

The pointer B is entirely independent of the dial, except that it is arranged to turn over it in close proximity, and helps to show how the ratchets stand with regard to the hand-moving indicator. If they do not agree when the operator at the main office wishes to make a call, he turns the indicator K backward until it agrees with this pointer. The toothed wheel M, being held by friction, remains stationary, allowing the tube of the aforesaid indicator to turn in it. If the pointer B is but a short distance behind the indicator, the key I may be operated a sufficient number of times to bring it even with said indicator.

The vibrator or electric automatic brakepiece 0 is of the ordinary construction, and its office is to divide the electricity on the main line into short and rapid impulses for operating whatever vibrating bells may be thrown into the circuit at the time of operation, and also to avoid the operation of the ratchets, they being adjusted so as to operate only with slower impulses.

The switch P is used at the main office, and its oflice is to switch the vibrator into operation by moving from R to Q, forming circuit No. 2, and then, when moved off of both R and Q into the main line, forming circuit No. 3; then out again, closing the main line as at the start on R.

The resistance S, shown made of wire, may be of any suitable material, like wire, carbon, plumbago, 850., which will answer as a suita ble medium for resisting the flow of electricity. Its office is to reduce the power of the superabundance of electricity which is made to pass through the platinum points of the vibrator while starting it before turning it into the main line. Of course it will not do to have so great a resistance at S as to cause the electricity to back up and turn into the main line with such power as to operate the ratchets in case there should happen to be any slow impulses while starting.

The switches T and U are only used when it is desirable to operate the vibrator by a separate or local battery, the electricity from which shall enter and return through circuit No. at via V, T, X, 0, and W.

In Fig. 3, a a are each a flexible packing inserted between the adjusting-nuts of the screw 1) and the frame 0. The passage (1 through the length of the screw 1) is to admit of the passage of the extension of the ratchetwheel shaft, to which the pointer B is attached in Fig. 1. The small bearing 6 is set into the flexible packing f. Beneath the frame 0 is still another packing, of similar material, all of these being for deadening the transmission of sound, as also are g set into it in Fig. 4 and i? set into j in Fig. 5. These packings are all for the purpose of destroying as much as possible the metallic ring which is almost sure to occur when one metallic body strikes another.

The operation is as follows: The circuits being arranged as shown in the drawings, the electricity enters circuit No. 1 at Y, passes along the wire E, thence through P, thence through the coils A, magnetizing them, and, overcoming a light spiral spring, draws the armature, and with it its lever, over against one of the stops or hunters, and carrying with it the ratchet, turning the ratchet-wheel and pointer part of one tooth. The electricity then passes through the coils of the vibrating bell H, drawing the armatures and hammers to bell over, as shown. It then passes out through the line, and thence to station No. 1, the apparatus and connections'of which are similar to those of station No. 2, shown in Fig. 2, the electricity passing through the key G, thence through the coils of A and along the levers G and D, thence out on the line through other stations having similar apparatus, and the last being connected with the ground. If there be no stations beyond No. 2, of course the outleading line-wire will be grounded there. The electricity will then return through the ground up to Z and back to battery. Of course the ground may be replaced with a returning-wire, and, if the main line is very short and of little or no resistance, a suitable resistance may be inserted similar to that shown only in the model marked lineresistance. This last is for the purpose of enabling the main line to be operated by shortcircuitin g or shunting, instead of making dead breaks, which are often the cause of much trouble.

Now, the apparatus of the main oilice and one or more stations, including No.2, being connected, as just described, and the indicator K and the pointer B agreeing at blank space, (not shown on dial in the drawings,) to call No. 2, move the indicator forward two spaces, and this will short-circuit the main line twice, and the magnetic ratchets all through the line will operate and turn their respective ratchetwheel, and of course the one at the main office will be turned with the others. This will leave the pointer standing at No.2 on the dial, and the spur or trip on the ratchet-wheel shaft of station No. 2 will be almost in contact with the spur on the lever C. Now turn the switehPtoO.a11d by so doing the main circuit is again short-circuited, this time through the vibrator O, the switch U, thence through P and Q, and thence practically through S, and back to the battery through Z, making circuit No. 2. But really a small portion of the electricity (not enough to affect the instruments) will pass out and through the main line in consequence of the resistance it meets in S. This does no harm, though, as there is not enough to make the ratchet-magnets hold their armatures against the resistance of a light spiral spring pulling in the opposite direction. This releasing of these armatures, of course, gives the ratchet-wheels another half-step forward, and causes the spur on ratchet-wheel shaft of No. 2 to raise the lever O, and in so doing destroys the short circuit between it and the lever D, and, of course, brings circuit No. 5, including the coils of F, into the main circuit. The vibrator O is now supposed to be in operation and fairly under way, dividing the electricity into steady and rapidly-succeeding waves. Now, by turning the switch P still farther to the right it will then be free of both It and Q, and circuit No. 3 will be formed. Then the electricity has no course to pursue but to pass through the vibrator O, the switch Ucoming in contact with P, but passing by, thence through the coils of A; but the breaks being so rapid it will not operate the ratchet. It then passes through the coils of H, of course making the bell ring.

as all impulses, whether fast or slow, will make this bell ring. it then passes out through the main line, then through station No. 1, without ringing its bell, thence out on the main line again, thence through station No. 2. ringing the hell F, which is there thrown into the circuit, thence out on the main line, and through other stations, it there be any, pass ing through them, as in the case of No. l. thence through the ground back to the bat tery. Now, if the bell F ofeach station were not adjusted to ring only when receiving several rapidlysuccessive impulses, each bell would give a single sound while its station was being passed by, as the spur on the ratchet-wheel shaft raises the lever O and opens the circuit into and through the coils of the vibrating bell of each station successively, or in what.- ever order they may be arranged; and also, were it not for the fact that the spur on each ratchet-wheel shaft is located in a different relative position, as many of the stations as should have the spurs similarly located would respond to the vibrator at the same time. There fore each station has its spur set accordingly, and avoids the disagreeable sound of calls for other stations. \Ve say No.2 is now receiving a call. He answers by simply breaking the cir- IIO cuit for an instant with the key G, which of course stops the ringing of the bell H at the main office as long as the break is made. The operator at the main oflice then turns the switch P to R, which then short-circuits the vibrator again and retains the circuit through the main line, as at the start. This, of course, at once gives the ratchet-magnets their full power, and they give another half-turn on the ratchets, and this throws out the bell F of station No. 2, which is of no further use at present; but, in case the operator at No. 2 wishes to make a call to and receive from the main office, he turns the lever D to the left, and his bell F is immediately thrown into the circuit again. He then opens and closes the circuit at G, and the bell H at main office immediately gives a stroke both at opening and closing the circuit. The hammer of his bell will also move, but notenough to strike. The operator at main office then answers by sending afew rapid impulses over the line, which ring the bell at No. 2. The operator then proceeds to make known his wants to the main office either through the telephone or otherwise, the same being true when main office calls No. 2. The two indicators K and B are now supposed to point at different stations on the dial, and therefore when the operator at the main office makes the next call he turns K backward until it agrees with the pointer B.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the indicator K and its toothed wheel M, 850., and the key J, with its necessary connections, may all be dispensed with without seriously affecting the efficiency of the apparatus, as the key 1 or any similar one will answer, provided a little care is used in watching the pointer as it moves up to the number on the dial which is to be called.

W'here the main line is very long or requires a very powerful battery, it is then desirable to use a local battery to operate the vibrator O, to avoid injury to the platinum points while starting, and such a plan will admit this same vibrator to be used on any one of two or more main lines and avoid the expense of such a vibrator for each line. The electricity from the local would simply pass from the wire-cup V through T and X, the two being in contact, thence through the vibrator, and return through Vv' back to the battery, thus forming circuit No. 4. That from the main battery, when making a call, would then pass through the same vibrator or break-piece without going through its coil, but, passing by that, would enter the switch U at the right hand. The lever being in contact at that button, it would then come in contact with P and pass by, that lever being thrown off of R and Q, thence through A and H, and out on the main line, as before, the only additional apparatus required being the local battery, one switch, T, for putting the vibrator into operation, and the switch U, which may be arranged to work with or without .local battery,

as shown; or the connecting-button at the left may be left out altogether and the connections between the button at the right and the lever reversed, so that a series of buttons may be arranged around the lever, representing and having connections with different lines, that the lever, and with it the vibrator, may he brought into the circuit of any line desired to be called, the other end of each of these lines being brought in contact with the opposite side of the vibrator in a similar manner, as shown in Fig. 7, where the line marked 7 is shown as being in connection with the vi brator O and lines marked 6 and Sas adapted to connect with it. The wires leading to switch k are supposed to come from the batteries, and those leading from the switch 1 to the right are supposed to connect with the ratchet and bell-magnets of separate main lines; but of course the order of arrangement may be reversed without harm.

It will'be seen from the foregoing that many of the parts shown may be replaced by others of a similar nature without materially affecting the general operation of the system, some of which areviz., the vibratorshown to operate automatically by electricity, but may be operated by hand with any suitable circuit-breaking apparatusas, for instance, the indicator K may be used by turning it rapidly, and by using it the switches might be dispensed with; but of course there would be the liability of an occasional slow impulse in starting and stopping.

The several switches and keys may be. of any desirable construction. The ratchets may also be of any desirable construction. The short circuits may be replaced, in whole or part, by dead-breaks. The vibrating bells may be of any desirable form. A part or the whole of the sound deadening apparatus or substance shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 may be left out or replaced by others, and the several parts made of any desirable shape.

The spur on the ratchet-wheel shaft in Fig. 2 may be made on the rim of a wheel, so that it will balance well, or it may be asimple spur extending outward from the shaft, and it may, without much danger of imperfect connections, be used as a point of contact with D in place of the lever G, and it may be desirable in some cases to have two or more spurs on the shaft, that two or more calls may be made to one circuit of the ratchet-wheel. As, for instance, a person, besides having a call of his own, may desire to be called when another person under him or doing business with him is called, that they may both receive the same business information.

Having thus described my improvement in electric-signal systems, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The key I, the switch P, the magnetic ratchet A, having pointer B and dial L, the magnetic bell H, the vibrator 0, all at the transmitting-station, in combination with the magnetic ratchet A, having an electric switch,

and the magnetic vibrating bell F, these latter being located at each receiving station and all having the proper electric connections and arranged so that each receiving-station shall receive only such calls as are intended especially for it, substantially as shown and described.

2. The magnetic ratchet A, having the pointer B and dial L, and the magnetic bell H, in combination with the magnetic ratchet A, which has an electric switch arranged to switch the bell F into and out of the circuit, and is arranged in connection with said bell, when the whole are provided with suitable means to operate, and the ratchets are adapted to operate only in response to comparatively slow electrical impulses and the bell F to only rapidly-succeedin g impulses, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the magnetic ratchet A and the magnetic bell H, when they are provided with suitable means for operating the ratchet comparatively slow and the bell both slow and rapid, for the purposes herein substantially shown and described.

4. The combination of the vibrating bell F and the magnetic ratchet A, when said ratchet is adapted to switch the electric current into and out of the magnet'coils of said bell, and the bell adapted to operate only in response to several rapidly-succeeding vibrations, for the purpose of causing it to ring in response to only such calls as are made when the bell is thrown into and retained in the circuit, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the magnetic ratchet A with the magnetic vibrating bell F, when the former is provided with a suitable electric switch adapted to throw the latter into and out of its circuit, and is so adjusted as to operate only in response to comparatively slow electric impulses, while the latter is adjusted to operate in response to several successive rapid impulses, all being arranged for the purpose of retaining the ratchet from operating while the bell is being rung, substantially as shown and described.

6. The switch 1?, in combination with the vibrator O and the vibrating bell F, all having the proper electric connections, and the said switch arranged to switch the vibrator into operation before switching it into the coils of the bell F, for the purpose of avoiding the transmission of accidental slow impulses, substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with the vibrator O, the resistance S, when arranged for the purpose of weakening the superabundant heating power of the electricity to avoid injury to the platinum points of said vibrator, as herein substantially shown and described.

8. The indicator K, in combination with the key J and the spur-wheel M, when the latter is so secured to the indicator that said indicator may be turned backward without moving the wheel M, and therefore without affecting the electric connection, for the purpose of adjusting the indicator K to the pointer B, substantially as shown and described.

9. In combination with a set of electric signaling apparatus the call bell of which is adapted to be operated by electricity passing through a vibrating break-piece, a separate local battery-circuit (to avoid the employment of the resistance S) and burning the platinum points when it becomes necessary to employ a powerful battery on the main circuit, substantially as shown and described.

10. In combination with the bell F, the switch D, when the latter is arranged to be turned by hand, for the purpose of switching the magnet-coil of the bell into the main line independent of the ratchet operation, substantially as shown and described.

11. The ratchetwheel, when packed with a sound-deadening substance and arranged for the purpose herein substantially shown and described.

12. The ratchet-wheel shaft, when one or more of its bearings are packed with a sounddeadening substance and arranged for the purpose herein substantially shown and described.

HENRY Gr. FISKE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. FAY, GEORGE M. FISKE. 

